A TEACHER and a pupil from a Conwy school have both been picked to run for their country.
Geography teacher Mathew Roberts takes around 30 pupils from St David’s College every week fell running in the hills of Snowdonia and around the Great Orme in Llandudno. The 37-year-old from Llanberis has just returned from Tuscany, in Italy, running for Great Britain in the World Trial Championships, and recently won the Cader Idris Fell Race coming first out of 300 runners.
His love of fell running has evidently inspired the pupils at St David’s College, in Llandudno, as Max Dunford, 16, has just won his first vest to represent Wales in Italy at the World International Youth Championships. Max only took up running two years ago.
Mathew who can run up Snowdon in 55 minutes, says North Wales offers some of the best fell running in the UK.
“I think so many pupils like coming out from year six to year 12 simply because they enjoy it, and part of the reason why is that the area is only just pipped by the Lake District as being the number one place for fell-running,” he said.
“The school has been running and doing well in the Joe Brown Tuesday Night Fell Series.
“We’ve also got another very talented runner called Lois Lee, 15, from Prestatyn, who did really well in the British Inter County Championships.
“I’m very proud of both Max and Lois.”
Mathew who runs for Calder Valley Fell Runners takes part in around 20 to 30 races a year and trains for around 10 to 15 hours a week.
He will be representing Wales in the forthcoming Snowdon Race.